catchment
catchment Lexical Profile
catchment Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An extent of land where surface water from rain, melting snow, or ice converges to a single point at a lower elevation, such as a river, lake, reservoir, or ocean.
"Forested hills within the river's catchment help filter rainwater before it reaches the municipal reservoir."
The geographical area and population from which an institution, such as a school, hospital, or business, draws its students, patients, or customers.
"Many families moved into the neighborhood so their children would fall within the high school's catchment."
The action of intercepting and collecting water, or a structure such as a cistern or reservoir built for that purpose.
"Rooftop rainwater catchment provides a reliable supplemental water supply during the dry summer months."
• Rhymes for catchment
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the mid-19th century from the English verb "catch" and the suffix "-ment," originally used in hydrology and civil engineering to describe the collection of rainfall.